"..."
This opening statement was a bombshell. Everyone present was momentarily stunned, and their expressions instantly changed once they recovered.
Although Chiyo didn't explicitly state why they were pushing deeper, they naturally understood the deeper meaning of her words.
"This, this is absolutely unacceptable, Lady Chiyo!"
A seasoned and steady-looking Jonin suddenly stood up, saying anxiously, "Although our resources aren't abundant, if we continue to plunder the Land of Rain..."
"They might be pushed to their breaking point and defect to the Hidden Leaf and the Land of Fire!"
"Plundering" was a "fine tradition" of Hidden Sand. Pushing the battlefield deeper into the Land of Rain naturally made it easier for Hidden Sand ninja to plunder the country.
This way, it could not only significantly reduce the village's military expenses but also, to some extent, stabilize morale.
However, even a cornered rabbit will bite.
Every one of these Jonin had survived the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars and had personally witnessed Hanzo slaughter countless people, naturally holding a certain reverence for him.
In their view, not pushing Hanzo too hard, knowing when to stop, was the wisest decision.
"Don't worry."
Chiyo's wrinkled face showed no ripples, her voice low and carrying an undeniable authority: "I have confirmed it. That old man Hanzo is completely crippled."
"These past few years, Hanzo hasn't taken a single step out of Hidden Rain Village, and he even has guards rotating every 24 hours..."
At this point, a mocking smile appeared on her face as she continued, "That old man is so afraid of death that he's completely lost his power. What is there to worry about?"
Chiyo certainly didn't like Hanzo; in fact, their relationship was almost that of mortal enemies. Both were skilled in using poison, and they had competed fiercely in that area in the past.
Chiyo called Hanzo "the old vent pipe," and Hanzo called her "the old puppet hag."
So, upon hearing this news, that Hanzo was so afraid of death he needed 24-hour rotating guards, she couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.
However, along with the schadenfreude, she also felt a sense of sorrow for a fellow creature.
As a ninja of the same era as Hanzo, how could Chiyo not be saddened to hear that her former rival had aged to such an extent?
She was old too.
Both her son and daughter-in-law had died at the hands of Hidden Leaf, and her only grandson had now defected from Hidden Sand. Apart from the equally aged Ebizo, there was no one left she could trust.
Therefore, she was undoubtedly most deeply touched by Hanzo's predicament.
Those present were unaware of Chiyo's complex thoughts. Hearing the news, they felt as if a powerful tonic had been injected into their hearts, completely dispelling their concerns.
If Hanzo had truly lost his combat ability and ambition, then the current Hidden Rain Village was indeed nothing to fear.
"Furthermore."
Chiyo quickly composed herself, changing the subject. She looked at the Hidden Sand ninja in charge of logistics and asked, "How are the subsequent supplies of medicine, ninja tools, and food prepared?"
This was the core pain point Hidden Sand Village was currently facing.
Ninja combat wasn't just a competition of ninjutsu and the ninja's own qualities, but also the superiority of ninja tools.
The quality of ninja tools was crucial for a battle.
But the cost of ninja tools was not small. A single ordinary kunai was worth a hundred Ryo, good ones could even sell for three to five hundred Ryo each, and excellent kunai were worth over a thousand Ryo. Each person needed at least five to ten kunai.
And this was just the cost of kunai, not including shuriken, explosive tags, and so on.
The Land of Wind was not as rich in exploitable resources as the Land of Fire. Most of its territory was barren desert with no practical value, making its economy arguably the lowest among the Five Great Nations.
Even the Land of Earth, rich in mineral resources, and the Land of Lightning, which fully utilized its electrical resources, were stronger than the Land of Wind, which was so poor it "drank wind and ate sand."
Moreover, the Daimyō of the Land of Wind did not trust Hidden Sand Village enough. He had been furious when he received news of Hidden Sand Village's rash attack on the Land of Fire, but he was now forced to support Hidden Sand Village.
Even so, logistical resources were stretched thin.
The cumulative consumption of various military provisions was an astronomical figure, which was the main reason Chiyo wanted to plunder the Land of Rain.
"Please rest assured!"
The Hidden Sand ninja in charge of logistics immediately straightened his back and smiled: "A batch of medicine, ninja tools, and food was ordered from Wave Country's 'Kusabi Real Estate Company' last week!"
"Wave Country, Kusabi Real Estate Company..." Chiyo repeated the name, a subtle glint of inquiry flashing in her murky eyes as she asked, "Are they trustworthy?"
Wave Country was very close to the Land of Fire, and the two countries even had a subordinate relationship. So, it was normal for Chiyo to have doubts.
"We've cooperated many times before. They are very reputable, reliable, and discrete in their transactions."
The Hidden Sand ninja nodded without hesitation: "Both procurement and transport go through their channels, which can bypass Hidden Leaf's eyes and ears. This batch of goods is enough to sustain us through a long period of high-intensity consumption."
They've cooperated before?
Hearing this, Chiyo nodded with satisfaction, not asking for any more details.
But after a moment of contemplation, her tone became more serious as she instructed: "Since they are trustworthy, make sure to maintain a good relationship with them. Sign a long-term agreement in Hidden Sand's name for priority and stable supply."
"Even if the price is slightly higher, it doesn't matter, as long as the terms aren't too excessive, we can accept them."
During such special wartime periods, the price of supplies was much higher than in the past, and often there was demand but no supply; just being able to buy them was already good.
After all, the largest supplier of materials in the ninja world was Hidden Leaf.
And Hidden Sand was currently almost in a dogfight with Hidden Leaf. Those merchants had to consider Hidden Leaf's attitude more or less, and even if they could sell, they could only secretly provide some to them.
Therefore, a cooperative partner who could provide a stable supply of materials, undeterred by Hidden Leaf's stance and willing to do business against the tide, was extremely important to Hidden Sand now.
"Yes! I understand, Your Excellency!" The Hidden Sand ninja responded solemnly.
Chiyo nodded, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, and said, "Don't be overly ambitious. We are currently at an advantage. We just need to continue pushing forward."
Her tone was full of confidence and ambition. The current situation was still under her control.
If no unforeseen circumstances arose, they would mobilize all their forces for a full-scale offensive against Hidden Leaf once the supplies arrived.
Using her newly developed poison, they aimed to completely break Hidden Leaf's defenses in the shortest possible time.
Then, without stopping, they would enter the Land of Fire, naturally winning this war.
This time, they absolutely had to station troops in those relatively wealthy territories, forcing the Land of Fire to sign a treaty ceding territory, lowering trade taxes, opening commerce, and compensating for military expenses...
But just as these beautiful visions for the future landed, and the tense atmosphere within the tent slightly relaxed,
Swish! Swish!
The sound of rain outside the tent suddenly seemed to grow much louder. Many of those present instinctively looked up.
"Is the wind rising?"
Everyone sniffed. The air seemed to grow colder.
It entered their nasal cavities, traveled down their respiratory tracts, all the way to their lungs.
Bringing with it a stinging pain, like ants biting.